Menu and napkin holder



W. A. COX.

MENU AND NAPKIN HOLDER APPLICATION FILED DEC.

Sept. 28,1920.

Patented g ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MENU AND NAPKIN HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

Application filed Becember 11, 1919. Serial No. 344,253.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. Cox, acitizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county ofLos Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Menu and Napkin Holders; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a menu and napkin holder for use ondining tables and counters of restaurants, and the like, and aims toprovide a novel and improveddevice of that character combining means forholding a menu card, napkin and advertising cards. 7

A further object is the provision of a base having novel means thereonfor receiving and holding a menu card so that it can be readily removedand inserted and for holding advertising cards at opposite sides of themenu card, thereby providing effective advertising facilities.

Another object is to combine with such means for holding a menu card andadvertising cards, a napkin holder.

It is also the object of the invention to provide such a holder which issimple and inexpensive in construction, but which is nevertheless usefuland eiiicient.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent asthe description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction andarrangement of parts here inafter described and claimed, it beingunderstood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure1 is a perspective view of the holder, and

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided an elongated base 1 ofwood or other suitable material provided adjacent to one longitudinalside edge with a pair of posts 2, one at one end of the base, and theother located between the ends of the base. These posts 2 have slots 3therein extending from their upper ends to a point spaced above the baseand lower ends of said posts,

and said slots are in a common plane to receive the menu card a andsupport it with its lower edge spaced above the base. The card canprotrude beyond the posts and above same as seen in Fig. 1, whereby toexpose portions thereof so that the card can be readily withdrawn.

The posts 2 are further provided with means for receiving advertisingcards, and for this purpose the adjacent sides of said posts areprovided with vertical grooves 5 at opposite sides of the vertical slots3 extending from the upper ends of the posts to points spaced above thelower ends of the posts and base. These grooves 5 receive the edgeportions of advertising cards 6 which are inserted downwardly betweenthe posts at the opposite sides of the menu card 4, the lower edges ofsaid cards 6 being spaced above the base, so that they can be readilylifted out of the grooves for changing cards. These cards are thusdisplayed at opposite sides of the menu card, whereby the advertisingmatter will be seen at either side of the table or counter, and,furthermore, the advertising cards are in a conspicuous position wherethey will be observed in removing and inserting the menu card. Theadvertising cards conceal the greater portion of the menu card, therebyrequiring the withdrawal of the menu card, the attention being firstdirected to the advertising matter.

The napkin holder 7 is of flared form, increasing in width from itslower to its upper end, and the lower end of the said holder whichconstitutes a receptacle, is secured on the base 1, by means of cleats 8or the like, adjacent to that longitudinal edge of the base opposite tothe posts 2, and at that end of the base opposite to the end at which.one of the posts 2 is located. The receptacle 7 can hold a number ofnapkins 9 in folded form for ready removal. The receptacle 7 in beinglocated beyond one end of the card holding means and to one sidethereof, will not conceal the advertising card at that side, and themenu card can project across one side of the receptacle, as seen in Fig.2, to provide a compact arrangement.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A menuholder comprising a base and a pair of posts rising from the base, saidposts having vertical slots for receiving a menu card, and verticalgrooves in their adslots for receiving advertising cards, and a jacentsides at opposite sides of said slots receptacle mounted on the basebeyond one 10 for'receiving advertising cards. s end of said means andto one side thereof 2. A menu and napkin holder comprising to permit themenu card to extend across one 5 a base, menu holding means embodying asside of saidreceptacle.

pair of posts rising from the base and having y In testimony whereof Ihave signed my vertical slots for receiving a menu card and name to thisspecification.

vertical grooves at opposite-sides of said 7 WILLIAM A. COX

